Quick-hit: Joust

U for Umbra process

My brain exploded for a couple weeks. Instigatorzine is kind of my life, so it's always a battle for my time and IZ time. 

Either way, seems like there's not much of a process thing here. 

Sketch to Paint to Revision. Woo-woo-woo!

I get excited when I work and I forget about documentation. You know how it goes.

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www.electrickeychain.com

U for Umbra

As seen on Electric Keychain!

As you can see, while I haven't been updating much about the character, Caution is still very much in my mind. That's the only place where it's safe, after all. I promise I'll update everyone with the status of the Caution project and where it's headed. For now, enjoy illustrated drop caps!

Post with process this week!

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Electric Keychain - www.electrickeychain.com
                              twitter.com/electric_key

Learn to Lick the Goitre Laughing 2 Fin

Intimate.

Learn to Lick the Goitre Laughing 1 (pencils)

Lots of fun in the field. 

Learn to Lick the Goitre Laughing 2

Spot for Instigatorzine, Vol. 14.

Will be colored (for once).

Caution V. Jason

Mask V. Mask (sketch)

Maybe I can finish this by tomorrow?

Preview

A request from Instigatorzine's time at New York Comic Con. Decided I wanted a background for this one, so  let's see how it comes out.

Blender Pencils

Smudgy.

Layer 2

Well, this is crawling to the final surface, but all the layers will be worth it, I promise.

IZ13: Instigator/Month

Martin Wittfooth

I met Martin Wittfooth this summer at 3x3 event, Nuts & Bolts. I was part of a group that visited his studio in Brooklyn, NY. All the paintings he was working on were magical. At the end of Nuts & Bolts, I went out with Wittfooth, Matt Rota and other artists and professionals.What a fun time!

In December, Martin Wittfooth will be the featured artist in Instigatorzine, Vol. 13! Until then, check out his first solo show, "The Passions,"  in New York City at Lyons Wier Gallery.

http://hifructose.com/the-blog/1801-martin-wittfooth-the-passions-.html

I'm excited!


Okay! Back to work!

Instigatorzine @7B Drink & Draw

I could work on it some more. We'll see where it goes.

Way to Sleeping Child: Otis Strivers, 19

Way to Sleeping Child: Girl in the Water

A short, sneak peek into the next issue of Instigatorzine, Vol. 12. I really enjoyed doing the spots for this short prose. There were chunks of imagery to work from, a lot of it, very interesting. 

Deserters

So, usually, I have sketches up with these, but I can't seem to find them. I draw on anything really, so it could be scribbled on a copy of The New York Times for all I know. Anyway, here we go:

 Still wasn't sure which type layout and color looked better. I tried a couple of different colors, but there was still a conflict. Would have liked more time to experiment, but these are all done on deadline. -_-

My 300th Scan.

So, I've used my printer-scanner a lot. This is my 300th scan. I call all my scans "kupo" because I used to play a lot of Final Fantasy. I'm going to get back into posting---everywhere. I miss it.

The summer's been unusually busy, but I promise I'll be back in a couple days with more.

Instigatorzine @Kickstarter

artwork by Ellis Clark

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1895169077/instigatorzine-0

Hello everyone. I haven’t really been active on the web anywhere. Don’t worry. I’ve actually been busy setting up a lot of things.

For example, Instigatorzine has been catching steam and rolling along at a very swift pace. We’re working towards legitimizing the periodical on a professional level. That means getting a LLC, a P.O. Box, appearing at the 2011 New York Comic Con, etc. A lot of major moves.

That said, Instigatorzine needs everyone’s help raising money for expenses towards this professional stage. The link featured will take you to our Kickstarter profile which will enable you to contribute to our cause. We’re nothing without you, and you are our strongest attribute. Without your art and your literature, the ‘zine wouldn’t be where it is right now.

Please help us make our goal by Monday, August 22, 2011! You’ll get neat prizes for your greatly appreciated contribution. :)

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1895169077/instigatorzine-0

More updates about other things I've been up to later this week. :)

Sorry.

It seems they were right.

You only get busier after college.

Drawings soon, I promise.

Rocks

I don't think I ever uploaded this here.

Rocks.

Saint Nicholas School

This is where people started to mess up my name.

Brothers

One of my brothers, Manuel Espiritu, has a birthday the day after mine. Which is today.

Excellent timing.

Also, The Black Keys' album, Brothers, was released two days ago last year. I guess this could count as a celebration of that. One of the best albums I've ever listened to.

But really, happy birthday to my bro. I miss him.

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The Black Keys - http://www.theblackkeys.com/

Manuel Espiritu - (If he had a web presence other than Facebook, I'd plug it here.)

Mis/Fortune Monday

Figures I would forget my sketchbook on the way to the NJCU Portfolio Review at the Society of Illustrators on Monday, May 16, 2011. I was really planning on showing Stephen Gardner my sketches with my new acquired ruling pen. Maybe he'd give me some pointers or something. I'll probably catch him at Drink & Draw sometime this summer, though. Imagine me, drinking with a bunch of illustrators and other artists. Crazy. Kinda.

So, at the portfolio review, only five students/graduates from NJCU showed up and of all of us, I was the only person dressed for an interview. Full suit= pants + tie + jacket + shoes. Did it make a difference? I don't know. Ellis Clark, a fellow NJCU student, was the only other person I heard receiving good reviews, but he wasn't dressed as much as I was.

Usually a person would feel weird for being the only person in full armor, and I was, but the awkward feeling didn't last too long, since I like to dress-up whenever I can. Besides, I always feel better in a suit. No not really. I do feel different in a stiffer outfit, however.

One of the reviews I held was with Gail Bichler, Deputy Art Director at the New York Times. (I was told by Dennis Dittrich that she's the art director for New York Times Magazine, specifically.) She looked through my portfolio, and to my surprise, she was impressed by my work! Also, Gail advised that I should practice to speak more confidently about my work by going on some "practice" interviews at places I wouldn't necessarily draw for. Now, that doesn't mean I'm gonna go knocking on the doors of Motherhood magazine, but it's a pretty good idea. Nevertheless, after the interview with Gail, I started to feel more confident about my career as an illustrator/comic book artist. (I don't know which will start first, but if I can get my foot in the door through illustration, then it'll be an easier transition going into comics. And I would still try doing both.)

After the review with Gail, Dittrich recommended that I follow Richard Berenson, former president of the Society of Illustrators, to the SI's permanent collection on the 5th or 6th floor of 128 E 63rd St. (There are so many levels.) It was exhilarating seeing all the work held by the Society. From Milton Caniff to Maxfield Parrish and N.C. Wyeth to Charles Dana Gibson, it was an impressive collection. The most rewarding part was that Berenson said that I had access to the collection whenever I wanted to see it. Just by Berenson's word, I had access to what could be the most expansive collection of 20th Century illustration. Awesome.

At the end of the day, Dennis Dittrich asked me what Gail Bichler thought of my work. He instructed that I make up a handwritten "Thank You" card and that I should start sending her postcard samples of my work after that. It's a solid strategy that will pay off, maybe not immediately, but after a lot of work.

That's what got me here. A lot of work. And there's still a lot more to do.

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Society of Illustrators - http://www.societyillustrators.org

The New York Times - http://www.nytimes.com/

Ellis Clark - http://bookofrat.blogspot.com/

Sketch-a-Day-in-May: 12

I was introduced to ruling pens by Stephen Gardner. They're a lot of fun, because they tend to fight with you, which makes for a more energetic sketch.

Look at me talking about ruling pens like they're new. These things are older than I am in origin.

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Area 221's Sketch-a-Day-in-May Celebration - http://area221.blogspot.com/

Stephen Gardner - http://www.gardnerillustration.com/

So, I graduated...

And I was featured on NJ.com with Stephanie Herrera and Elias Jimenez thanks to Steph's awesome caricature skills.

http://photos.nj.com/jersey-journal/2011/05/2011_njcu_graduation_6.html

Hit the jump. It's really neat.

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Stephanie Herrera - sherrera-art.blogspot.com

Keith on Dunkin' Donuts

Sorry. I was caught up in making sure I graduate.

Wow. I really dated myself with that title. That's fine. Gonna be twenty-four in around two weeks. Not bad for the pace I made through school.

G'nna be posting "remixed" bits and pieces of my BFA exhibition, "Tales of Caution," for a few weeks while I rebuild myself (and my room. It's a disaster in here.)

BFA Cover

I can't imagine that I won't draw a new cover for whenever this series will be released.

I have good experiences whenever I do draw another cover or pin-up of Caution. It motivates me, I suppose.

I've come to like this version more, because it's less super-hero and more intriguing as an image. There's some kind of mystery to this cover than the other ones I did. Maybe because those other ones were spoofing other classic comic covers. Covering covers.

"Tales of Caution" - Monday, May 2, 2011 @4.30p-7.30p in NJCU GSUB Gallery. (Second day of A221's Sketch-a-Day-in-May, I know. Honestly, I'm just as excited for SADIM as I am for my show.)

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Area221 - http://area221.blogspot.com/

Woo.

The only event in May you should look forward to is right around the corner.

Very excited.

Reference & Caution

Needed a warm-up.

So, I figured out how to get over head lighting in my room. At least I don't have to go parading in the street with this get-up.

Spent another hour taking reference shots. It's progress.

Maybe next will be some sneak peaks at my show since it's almost a month away!

Parts of a Burger - Onion

The digital medium always seemed kind of elusive. I'm still getting the hang of a lot of digital art and design media. Here's an example of what I'm trying to do with Adobe Illustrator.

But, I'm not really sure what I want to talk about right now. Either that I'm learning a lot of digital media or that I lost my 500GB hard drive with all of the work I needed to print today for the critique in my Digital Illustration 2 course.

Let's see. The assignment is to create a pack of ten cards (2.5in x 3in), revolving around any one theme. I chose "Parts of a Burger." If this onion took me two hours to complete, and I have to be awake by 6am, it looks like I won't be able to finish all 12-13 images by 4p.

Thanks for ruining my life, life.

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Adobe - http://www.adobe.com/products/creativesuite/?sdid=IBEQZ&skwcid=TC|22178|adobe||S|e|5892405400

Onion - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onion

Burger - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamburger

Failure?

I'm kind of sad I didn't get into Creative Quarterly 23 (CQ23). I submitted the cover I did for Instigatorzine #1. I guess it wasn't good enough.

I guess... I'm not good enough.

HA!

I'll see you in the fall, Creative Quarterly. I'll get in. Even if you bounce me out again!

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Creative Quarterly 23 Winners - http://www.cqjournal.com/winners.html

Creative Quarterly - http://www.cqjournal.com/

Caution: Colors, Shades, Charades.

I posted this sketch a couple of weeks ago on my blog.

As I moved forward with my project, I remembered the aesthetic of the Sin City movie that came out years ago. The color highlights were always something I liked about the comic adaptation.

I decided that I wanted that to be part of my BFA project. I just don't know if I want to add grays. It'll take an additional amount of time to try and figure out the grays areas of each panel and that'll probably require more reference. While I like using reference, time isn't on my side to actually shoot all the environments that I'm going to have in the comic.

Well, all the areas in the comic are right around my house. (The extended version of the comic will feature other parts of the Jersey City heights, but I don't know if I'll be able to get to that part of the narrative before my show).

Color is something I haven't decided how to apply yet. Traditional and digital methods will have their own distinct qualities. I'll be playing around with it some more. Maybe some results next week.

Back to Business

I've given up on the Daily Challenges, as you can see. The main goal for it was to get some consistent activity on Area 221. Recently, it's just me and James Zapata keeping the blog alive.

I'm primarily giving up the Daily Challenges (for now) because I have a lot of work to do for my BFA exhibition, and I can't keep myself occupied with recreational activity.

It's time to get back to work.

A couple of months ago, I physically made Caution. I got the mask. I got the tape (which I've had for five years now). I put it together.

I have to say, taking an hour of reference photos rejuvenated me to get my show done.

From here to May 2nd (though I'll be finished with the show a lot sooner), it'll be Caution 24/7. For the most part.

Updates on Area 221 and nar/esp if you're interested.

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James Zapata - http://www.jameszapata.com/

nar/esp - nar-esp.blogspot.com

Area 221 - area221.blogspot.com

Process: Great White Shark

So, from Batman Week on Area 221 (two weeks ago), The Great White Shark was probably my favorite to illustrate. That might have been because I never heard about this new Batman rogue until that week and because I had the most fun drawing him.

I decided not to have him aiming the gun at you. I know he's criminally insane after going into Arkham normal (and exiting nuts). There's something that's more intimidating about not having to stare down a barrel, though. (Maybe I'm thinking more Two-Face than Great White Shark.)

The process was quite fun, since I like dressing up and holding toy guns from my younger years.

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The Great White Shark - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_White_Shark_(comics)

Area 221 - http://area221.blogspot.com/

Zelda Week: Link

Originall posted on Area 221.

Thank the Triforce for cosplayers. This was a hard one.

Tomorrow: Twinrova Sisters: Kotake & Koume!

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Zora Link cosplay - http://www.geekologie.com/2010/04/25/zora-link-1.jpg

Twinrova Sisters - http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2039/2400928087_610ffab002.jpg